Gauchos Continue to Roll, Sweep Pair at Bakersfield

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - UC Santa Barbara
stretched its current win streak to a season best seven games on
Wednesday as the Gauchos defeated Cal State Bakersfield on the road
in a non-conference doubleheader. The Gauchos came back from a 2-0
deficit to defeat the Roadrunners, 5-2, in the afternoon's first
game and then went on to post an 11-1 mercy rule win in game
two.

With the wins, UCSB improves to 20-18 on the season while
Bakersfield falls to 14-22 overall.

In game one, Bakersfield's Myshayla Fryer gave the Roadrunners
an early lead when she hit a one-out bases loaded single through
the right side to score Stefanie Frei in the bottom of the second
inning. The lead stretched to two when Jamie Miller drove in Ryane
Peterson with an RBI single to left field.

Birthday girl Lauren Boser sliced
Bakersfield's lead in half during the next inning when she hit a
solo home run to left center field; it was her first round trip of
the season. Reining Big West Player of the Week, Keilani Jennings
was able to tie things up at two-all in the fifth with an RBI
double hit to right field that pushed McKenzie Kane
home.

The following inning, the Gauchos secured the lead with a
three-run homer hit by Kathryn Pilpil.
Bakersfield left two runners stranded in both the sixth and seventh
innings as the Gauchos held on for the 5-2 victory.

Freshman Andriana Collins
(11-9) captured the win after tossing a complete game in which she
allowed two runs on seven hits while walking two. Offensively,
Boser led the way going 2-for-3 with a homer.

UCSB carried its momentum into game two and got out to a 3-0
lead at the top of the first inning behind a three-run homer hit to
left center field by Jennings.

In the second, the Gauchos loaded the bases before Allison Taylor
drove a single through the right side to score Brooke Putich. One
out later, Boser doubled to left field sending home two more runs
and pushing the Gauchos ahead, 6-0.

Pipil's ground out to second base in the fifth drove in pinch
runner Kelly
McDonald to get the ball rolling in a five-run inning for the
Gauchos. Taylor hit a two-run homer down the left field line with
two outs to bring the UCSB lead to 9-0. Jennings followed with
another double before Boser hit her second home run of the day over
the center field fence, giving UCSB a whopping 11-run
advantage.

Bakersfield was able to prevent the shutout at the bottom of the
fifth when Marissa Miller's two-out single down the left field line
sent Petersen home. That was all the Roadrunners could muster
though, as Krista
Cobb ended the game by striking out the ensuing batter.

Cobb (9-9) was solid in the circle as she allowed just one run
on four hits. She walked one and struck out two. Boser once again
led the way going 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and four
RBI.

Jennings and Taylor each tallied two hits and three RBI.
Jennings brought her season doubles count to 14, which is just one
shy of tying Tiffany Wright's
school record for single season doubles. Additionally, the Gauchos
collected five stolen bases in the win with Kane and Putich each
tallying a pair.

UCSB - which ranked fourth in the nation as of Monday for double
plays per game - turned two double plays during the doubleheader to
bring its season total to 21, just two shy of tying the school
record that was set last season.

The Gauchos will resume Big West Conference action this weekend
when they host UC Riverside in a trio of league games. The series
will begin with a noon doubleheader on Saturday and conclude with a
single game at noon on Sunday. All the games will be played at
Campus Diamond. To purchase tickets, call (805) 893-UCSB, visit the
Athletics Ticket Office in the Intercollegiate Athletics Building
on campus or click here.